Bihar gets trained elephant to track tiger

Patna, Dec 4, DHNS: Two days after a tiger critically injured a district forest officer before escaping into the bushy tracts near Sonepur in North Bihar, the State’s Environment and Forest Department has sought the services of a trained elephant to locate the big cat. A request has been made to the National Tiger Conservation Authority seeking its assistance in locating the tiger. The animal has reportedly strayed from the Valmikinagar Tiger Reserve, on the Bihar-Nepal border, and is still moving in the area spread over the Saran and Vaishali districts on the banks of the Gandak river. “Going by the pug marks, the tiger appears to be moving along the bushy tracts of the Gandak basin. Since the island is full of long grass, it’s difficult to locate the big cat. Besides, it’s dangerous to move on foot,” said Principal Chief Conservator of Forest Basir Ahmad. Trained elephant “We have, therefore, requested the National Tiger Conservation Authority to provide us with some experts to capture the big cat. We have also sought the services of a trained elephant, which will help the team move around the area and locate the tiger,” said Ahmad. The National Tiger Conservation Authority has, however, reportedly told the Bihar Forest Department officials that the animal should be left on its own for the next few days, so that it can settle down as it may be in an agitated state of mind after its encounter with human beings. That the tiger, which strayed into the Sonepur area had injured District Forest Officer K Ganesh Kumar when he fired the first round of tranquilisers. The tiger, after injuring the district forest officer, escaped into the bushy tracts though it was surrounded. Sources said that chances of tiger having further encounters with human beings is low as the terrain, where it is supposed to be resting, is full of blue bulls. “Besides, tigers have a strong sense of home ranging. Therefore, it’s quite possible that if left on its own, the tiger may find its way to Valmikinagar Tiger Reserve,” said a forest department official citing the example of a tiger which had strayed from the Ranthambore reserve in Rajasthan to Mathura in Uttar Pradesh. “It returned to Ranthambore in the next few days,” said the official. But the Bihar government is not prepared to take any chances. It has deputed a strong team of forest officials, besides the Vaishali and Saran district administrative and police officers, near Sonepur to deal with any eventuality. http://www.deccanherald.com/content/209399/bihar-gets-trained-elephant-track.html